Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-04
L. s. ROSS.
Full Text Of the Governors Letter in
Answer to the Authorization
State Central Committee.
He VIII Vote Against the Amendment.
His Reasons Therefor-A Comparison
Between Texas aud Maine.

ter yesterday, and would have printed it all
had not the wires failed to bring the remainder
in time.-ED. GAZETTE.
Special to the Gazette.
AUSTIN, TEX, May THE following
letter written to-day by Governor Ross to
/ Hon. Barnett Gibbs explains itself:
THE STATE OF TEXAS, EXECUTIVE OFFICE
AUSTIN, Ten, May ., 1887.
To Hon. Barnett Gibbs, Dallas:
DEAR SIR-In reply to your letter in
viting me to attend a convention to
convene at Dallas May 4, of those OPP
posed to the prohibition amend
ment, l desire to say that while the
pressure of official duties requiring my
instant personal attention will not sane
ton the propriety of my absence from my
post for the purpose of an engagement in
the popular discussion OF this measure,
nevertheless there can be no improperly
in my declaring when thus questioned
that shall vote against the amendment
because in my judgment it was impOlitic,
unWise and against the genius OF our free
institutions. 1t is the subject of an ear
nest difference of opinion and the conflict
| ing sentiments OF eminent statesmen do
cot relieve the question of the embarrass-
ment with which it is surrounded.
| Whenever great issue as in
the present cause arises, 1
believe it the right and duty of
every public man to declare mis- true
purpose and interest. An open,
manly avoWal will command the re
spect of those who differ when
it fails to invoke the approval of the
| principles advocated. The Legislature IN
submitting this q lestion to vote of the
people in the fairest mode in which 1t
could be dOne-thatis, as an isolated issue
unincumbered with other questions, that
there might be q fair expression of the
popular will upon it-met the demands of
those who in good faith de-
while feared that it was
destined to prove a proftless and mad
den1ng controversy, and that the praC-
teal advantages to result from the meas
ure would not outweigh the injury which
the ill-feeling bound to accompany the
discussion of this subject through the
country is sure to produce, yet, holding
! it to be good Democratic doctrine and
one of the fundamental principles which
is logical necessity of our form of gov
eminent, that the right of the people to
govern themselves and decide for them
situations under which they shall live, is
the great element of freedom, gave my
sanction to its submission to the decision
of the ballot.
l recognize the fact that there are
many good men of all shades of political
opinion who believe that this amendment
will eradicate an institution nefarious in
itself and pernicious in it's influence,
off no fu ipf
ternal, and that it is an incubus upon the
moral and social progress, as well as all
the material interests, depressing and de-
basing labor, retarding and preventing
the development of all the resources of
the state. Far be it from me to impesch
their conviction, but 1 appeal to the his
tory of our state to vindicate the political
wisdom of our laws and their effect upon
society. A little over half 9 century
ago when it became the duty of our
fathers to establish a government, they
brought wisdom, experience, learning
and patriotism to the great work. They
incorporated no utopian theories in the
system, but formed a government which
would secure great and most enduring
happiness to Us all socially, and after the
most ample experience it has proved good
enough to embrace all the vast interests
of liberty and humanity, and strong
enough to uphold by its conservative grasp
the constitution of the country and the
rights of all it's citizens. It has given US in
situations which can embrace all mankind
with all their opinions, prejudices and
passions, however diverse and clasping,
provided we adhere to the law of Chris
tian charity and free liberation. From
less than 10000 we have grown to proba-
| bly, 5000, 900 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. powerful,
educated, moral, refined and happy, with
code of laws adequate to the protection
of public liberty and private rights,
which are cheerfully observed, supported
and upheld by all classes OF society; with
a noble system of internal Improvements
penetrating almost every neighbOrhOOd,
stimulating and rewarding the industry
of our people; with moral and intel
lectual SURPRISING physical improvements;
with churches, schools and colleges daily
multiplying throughout the land, bring
ing education and religious instruction to
the homes of all the people. Such is our
condition under the present and domes
tic system effected by all enlightened. by 8
moral and by an energetic people. The
picture, we are free to admit, is not with
out blemishes. Evils and imperfeetions
cling to the work of man, and oHT state
government is not exempted by them.
The condition of the liquor traffic offers
great opportunity for abuses and these
opportunities are frequently the cause of
crime. But the laws can restrain these
abuses and punish the crimes in this as
we'll as other relations of life, and
they who assume as fundamental
principle in the constitution OF
man that abuse is the unvarying Concom-
liant Of opportunity, subvert the founda-
ton of all private morals and Of every
social system2 Are the evils complained
of sufficient to make a protest forlinnova
ton against the Democratic policy as
heretofore practiced withIso muchlsuccess
and such succeeding triumph? Shall this
policy and its proud aud happy fruits be
cast aslde2 Why should our people be-
come impatient at the slow but steady
operation of wise laws which can be
made strong enough In justice to all to
correct every evil sought to be remedied
without putting in jeopardy the blessing
of our government by sowing hatred
and discord among our people?
We may, with hope and confidence,